The present invention relates to the coupling of two or more attachment systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the attachment of two or more dissimilar quick disconnect systems for camouflage units.
Camouflage has long been recognized as a practical and efficient way of concealing the location of people and equipment. Camouflage generally seeks to duplicate surrounding environments to avoid visual and/or other sensory detection. Significant amounts of camouflage are used in military operations. For example, large equipment such as tanks, aircraft, ships, and other equipment frequently are painted or otherwise coated with a camouflage appearance. A covering spread over the equipment can make additional camouflage protection.
The camouflage covering can be used to cover even large pieces of equipment and troop placements by linking two or more camouflage units, or screens, together. For example, aircraft, ships, and other large equipment can use several camouflage screens to cover at least a portion of the equipment. It is advantageous to have a xe2x80x9cquick disconnectxe2x80x9d coupling system to allow the screens to be quickly coupled when setting up the screens and quickly uncoupled upon removal. The success of a mission and protection of lives can depend on the quick covering and removal of the screens.
One camouflage system known to those in military environments is termed xe2x80x9clightweight camouflage screening systemxe2x80x9d (LCSS). The LCSS was originally fielded in the mid-1970""s. Generally, the LCSS employs a system of plastic brackets and pins surrounding the perimeter of a screen to attach one camouflage screen to another. A bracket from a first screen engages a bracket from a second screen and a pin is inserted through both brackets to hold the brackets together. Multiple pins are connected by a lanyard. To quickly release the LCSS system screens, a person can pull the lanyard, thereby disengaging multiple pins from the associated LCSS brackets and the camouflage screens can be separated quickly.
One difficulty with the LCSS system is that the brackets can scratch sensitive equipment, such as aircraft. Thus, a new generation of camouflage units was developed.
The new generation of camouflage units is known as the xe2x80x9cultra lightweight camouflage net systemxe2x80x9d (ULCANS). The ULCANS system was developed to completely replace the LCSS. The ULCANS system employs a xe2x80x9cbecketxe2x80x9d loop system to lace one camouflage unit to another. The becket loops are disposed around the unit""s perimeter.
In general, the ULCANS system includes short becket loops formed on the screen periphery in alternating fashion with long becket loops. Two ULCANS camouflage units are placed adjacent one another. The long becket loop from a first screen is inserted through a short becket loop of a second screen. Then, a long becket loop on the second screen is inserted through the first long loop on the first screen. The long becket loop on the second screen is inserted through a second short becket loop on the first screen. Generally, this intertwining continues until the edges of the screens are reached at which point the becket loop is tied off. Untying the knotted becket and pulling the units away from each other causes a quick unraveling of the becket loops. Thus, there are no hard plastic brackets as in the LCSS system. The ULCANS system has been officially approved for use in this fashion by the military and perhaps other entities. Further, the ULCANS system provides increased shielding over the LCSS system of other output, such as infrared radiation, to avoid detection.
Despite the apparent advantage of the ULCANS system and the desired use, the ULCANS system has not fully replaced the LCSS system. The cutbacks in defense spending and other programs have caused the full implementation of the ULCANS system to be delayed. As a practical and realistic intermediate plan, it has been desired that the ULCANS system be fielded with the older LCSS system. The only method currently available in the field to attach the two different unit systems is to use cable ties or the LCSS pin-to-lanyard cord to secure the two dissimilar systems together. Neither of these approaches allow for the quick disconnect procedure that is so important in the field. While the need is apparent, the solution has not been so apparent.
Thus, there remains a need for an improved system that allows the ULCANS system to be used in combination with the LCSS system while maintaining the quick disconnect capability.
The present invention provides an attachment system that can be used to interface between dissimilar camouflage systems and is particularly useful with ULCANS and LCSS camouflage systems. The present invention provides such compatibility while simultaneously maintaining quick disconnect capabilities with either system.
The present invention provides a camouflage screen system, comprising at least one interfacing modular attachment unit adapted to connect to two or more camouflage screens, the attachment unit having connectors compatible with both the ULCANS connection system and the LCSS connection system, the connectors comprising a first becket loop, a second becket loop, and an additional connector unit whereby said first becket loop and said second becket loop are sufficient to establish quickly releasable interlock with an opposing ULCANS compatible unit, said additional connector unit comprises an LCSS compatible attachment bracket, and said connector unit is sufficient to establish quickly releasable interlock with an opposing LCSS compatible unit. Further, the modular attachment unit comprises an interface between an ULCANS screen module and an LCSS screen module and the becket loops are disposed on one side of the modular attachment unit and the connector unit is disposed on another side of the modular attachment unit, and the modular attachment unit is adapted to couple an ULCANS screen module to the becket loops disposed on the one side of the modular attachment unit and adapted to couple an LCSS screen module to the connector unit disposed on the other side of the modular attachment unit.